


fluorescent adolescent

by ultdojae



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, M/M, Underage Smoking, jaemin is kinda mean 2 donghyuck rip, lowercase intended, rich kid jaemin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-22
Updated: 2018-05-22
Packaged: 2019-05-10 00:05:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14726168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ultdojae/pseuds/ultdojae
Summary: let's just say jaemin and donghyuck don't get along. . .at first





	fluorescent adolescent

**Author's Note:**

> title ; fluorescent adolescent - arctic monkeys
> 
> i wrote this surprisingly fast?? anyways, here's some hyuckmin

loud clanking of metal interrupted the quiet hallway. a tiny thump was heard as the wounded boy hit the floor. blood gushed from his nose, staining his lips red. his breathing heavy, gasping for air. three older, stronger boys hovered over him. then, one emerged from behind them; his designer button down shirt didn’t have one wrinkle in it, his shoes looked like they cost an arm, maybe a leg. maybe both. even his hair was styled luxuriously. 

 

na fucking jaemin. 

 

jaemin crouched down to the other boys level, a smirk plastered on his face. he laughed before getting serious, grabbing the others cheeks, bringing his face close to jaemin’s. “lee donghyuck, if you pull a stunt like that again, i will make sure that you don’t step foot in here ever again. understand?” 

 

donghyuck was silent, entertaining himself as he saw jaemin’s face redden in frustration. 

 

“i said do you understand?!” jaemin barked. 

 

donghyuck slowly nodded his head. jaemin let go of donghyuck, throwing him against the lockers once more before scoffing and leaving. 

 

donghyuck managed to get up, wincing in pain as he did. the school doors swung open as he pushed them to leave, immediately pulling a cigarette out. he put it in his mouth, but before he was able to light it, one of his friends stood in front of him. 

 

“jesus christ,” donghyuck said, grabbing his chest. he cupped his hands around the cigarette to light it, blowing thin, white smoke into the air. “now what?” 

 

“what do you mean ‘now what’? you look like shit dude,” his friend said, waving the smoke out of his face. 

 

“yeah, and?” donghyuck took another puff. “mark, i’m fine. this happens all the time. if something doesn’t go jaemin’s way, i get beaten to a pulp. simple as that.” he said calmly. 

 

mark looks down at the ground, pouting. “have you guys tried talking about it?” he mumbles. 

 

“now isn’t the time to play therapist, mark.” another puff. 

 

“i’ll talk to him then,” mark suggests. 

 

“no way. no fucking way. you would get beat ten times worse than me. do you really want that?” donghyuck steps towards mark. 

 

“no,” mark looks down. “i just wish he would stop.” 

 

“he’s not going to,” donghyuck flicks his cigarette to the ground, stepping on it with his boot. he sighs. “those morons ruined my jacket, it has holes in it now.” 

 

“it looks cool,” mark smiles at donghyuck. “if that helps.” 

 

donghyuck just pats mark’s back before throwing an arm around mark’s shoulder. “let’s go home.” 

  
  


donghyuck lights up another cigarette the next morning. he was standing outside of the school doors, waiting for his friend to arrive. instead, he got the opposite of what he wanted, he got jaemin. 

 

jaemin and his  _ stupid _ “bodyguards” strutted up to donghyuck. one of them yanked the cigarette out of donghyuck’s mouth and stomped it out with his foot. donghyuck held himself back from punching jaemin in the face, knowing that he’d get into a fight with them and lose. It wouldn’t be the first time. 

 

“what the  _ fuck _ was that for?” donghyuck was angry, but he didn’t dare move from his spot. 

 

“stop smoking. i don’t like it.” jaemin answered. 

 

“why should i care?” 

 

“you should,” jaemin said sternly. he stepped closer to donghyuck. “i hate the smell of smoke and you reek of it. find another hobby.” jaemin hits donghyuck’s shoulder with his before walking away. 

  
  


jaemin huffed as he sat down in his seat, coughing when he smelled cigarette smoke (re: donghyuck has arrived). he took his usual seat in the back, far away from jaemin. they established this seating arrangement on the first day of school. donghyuck wouldn’t sit near jaemin or  _ else _ . at first, donghyuck wasn’t so intimidated so, he tried jaemin, but he ended up getting a black eye. 

 

jaemin coughed again, resisting the urge to grab his inhaler from his bag, afraid that people would judge him for it. jaemin mumbles under his breath to answer donghyuck’s question, ‘ _ why should i care? _ ’. “because i have asthma, asshole.” jaemin coughs again. 

  
  


everyone fell silent once the teacher walked in. he walked to the front of the class to announce something. “since it’s the end of the semester, i’ve run out of projects to give. so, for the final project, i will pair you up with someone you’ve most likely never talked to before. i want you to find out about everything you can about that person. all i ask is that you make your project fun and creative. i will call off names now,” 

 

both jaemin and donghyuck sat in anxiety, hoping the teacher doesn’t call off their names. donghyuck bit around his nail, not even phased when he makes it bleed. luck was clearly not on any of their sides today. 

 

“and lastly, jaemin and donghyuck.” 

 

“no!” both of them shouted at the same time, jaemin even stood up. 

 

“what do you mean no? just talk to each other. do it or you’ll fail.” the teacher said. 

 

jaemin gasped,  _ fail _ ? he heard the thud of boots coming towards him, he sat back down in his chair in exasperation. 

 

“so,” donghyuck started. 

 

jaemin looked up at him sharply, “we will not hang out. just write down everything about yourself, i’ll do the same.” he crossed his arms. 

 

“what good is that gonna do? we need to get to  _ know _ each other.” donghyuck winked. 

 

jaemin would usually find the action repulsive but, when donghyuck did it (especially when he walked away afterwards), jaemin felt his heart rate go up significantly.  _ i hate cute boys _ . jaemin thought to himself before going after donghyuck. 

 

“how about we hang out after school today?” jaemin tries. 

 

“no can do, i’m hanging out with my best friend today.” donghyuck keeps walking. 

 

“i can tag along?” he tries again. 

 

“he hates your guts, so, i doubt it.” donghyuck shrugs. 

 

“why does he hate me?” jaemin asked, clearly confused. 

 

donghyuck stopped, causing jaemin to bump into him. he muttered a quick apology before donghyuck spoke up. He spun around quickly, pointing to his busted lip, “do you see this? you did this to me. why  _ wouldn’t _ he hate you, jaemin? you should be lucky i don’t hate you.” donghyuck scoffed before walking away. 

 

jaemin caught up, “how about we hang out tomorrow? since it’s the weekend and all.” 

 

“i’ll think about it.” donghyuck kept walking, jaemin stayed behind. 

  
  


“out of all places, you wanted to meet in a cafe? this is too cliche.” donghyuck sighed. 

 

“it was the only place i could think of, deal with it.” 

 

“i’m leaving,” donghyuck gets up, jaemin latches onto his arm, making donghyuck wince. donghyuck composes himself, yanking his arm out of jaemin’s grip. 

 

jaemin follows donghyuck outside. “donghyuck,”

 

“i really would rather fail this project than work with you, jaemin.” donghyuck said, continuing to walk away from jaemin.

 

“i won't hurt you, i promise.” jaemin assures. 

 

donghyuck stops, spinning around to face jaemin. “as i said, i would rather fail this project than work with you. i don't have time for your fake promises. knowing you, you’d probably call your stupid fucking bodyguards to come beat me to death if i told the class your favorite color was white instead of blue or something,” he rambles on. 

 

“you don't know me though,” jaemin’s voice was soft. donghyuck looked like he physically deflated. “my favorite color  _ is _ white, by the way.” that was the last thing jaemin said before he walked away, leaving donghyuck baffled. 

 

the next day, donghyuck was hanging out with mark (again). both of them were sitting outside, donghyuck had a cigarette lit and mark was buried in a book. donghyuck had no idea of how the two of them became friends. mark was seriously such a nerd -- well, so was donghyuck, the leather jacket cold stare was just a facade. donghyuck loved to read as much as mark did, he loved everything that people would deem “nerdy”. mark said that he would be donghyuck’s friend regardless. 

 

“how’s your project with jaemin going?” mark asked, waving donghyuck’s smoke out of his face. donghyuck groaned at the mention of jaemin. 

 

“it’s not going. it’s failing, miserably. we met up but, i don't know, we just don't get along.” 

 

“i’m telling you, just talk to him, you guys might have some stuff in common. at first, i thought that you were nothing like me but it turned out that you liked pretty much everything that i did. just talk to him.” mark suggests. 

 

“you’ve said this already,” donghyuck paused, taking a drag of his cigarette. “why are you on jaemin’s side anyways? i thought you hated him.” donghyuck flicks some ash off into the grass. 

 

“he could be a different person from the one you portray him as.” mark says, shrugging.

 

“you’re right,” donghyuck stands up. “you are absolutely right.”

 

“you’re gonna meet up with him?” mark asks. 

 

“no, i gotta pee. i’ll be right back.” 

  
  


“hey so i was thinking,” jaemin starts, sitting in an unoccupied desk in front of donghyuck.

 

donghyuck interrupted, “no.”

 

“you don't even know what i was gonna say,” jaemin pouted.

 

“oh my god, are you pouting?” donghyuck rolls his eyes, followed by a sigh. “what is it?”

 

“i was thinking that we could try to hang out again? last time it didn't go so well so  _ maybe _ we could try again?” jaemin’s voice goes up slightly at the end.

 

“you’re afraid of failing, aren’t you?” donghyuck leans in closer. 

 

“n-no,” jaemin stutters. “i just wanna hang out with you, genuinely.” 

 

“for some reason, i don't believe you.” donghyuck leans back in his chair. jaemin sat there, blinking at donghyuck. 

 

“can we just. . . forget what happened? i am one hundred percent positive that i wanna hang out with you,” jaemin paused. “you can come over to my place, we can be chauffeured there. no smoking in the car, though”

 

donghyuck rolled his eyes at jaemin, again. “do you think i just constantly smoke everywhere i go?”

 

“yeah?” jaemin furrowed his eyebrows. “isn’t that what you always do?”

 

“you’re making me sound like a chain smoker. you’re wrong. i only smoke when i'm stressed.” donghyuck explains.

 

“see?  _ this _ is why we need to hang out and get to know each other, i would’ve known that already about you.” 

  
  
  


“i don't know what i was expecting but it certainly wasn’t this.” donghyuck said as he stepped into jaemin’s house. donghyuck eventually agreed to go to his house, he was reluctant at first but, he thought he should give the both of them another try. 

 

when the two of them stepped inside, donghyuck felt small in jaemin’s gigantic house. even gigantic was an understatement. a chandelier hung from the tall ceiling, there were two staircases that led to the second floor, and a beautiful centerpiece right in the middle of the room. this was just a tiny portion of the house, jaemin had mentioned. jaemin also told donghyuck that he’ll give him a tour of his house another day. 

 

jaemin then started up one of the staircases. donghyuck followed behind, still mesmerized by the house. donghyuck didn't even wanna call it a house, it was more of a mansion. jaemin opened a door, which led to his bedroom. it was arguably bigger than donghyuck’s entire house. donghyuck stood awkwardly at the door as jaemin walked over to a balcony. 

 

“we can sit out here,” jaemin said, his back facing donghyuck. he opened the two doors and stepped outside. donghyuck rushed behind him and met him outside. both of them sat down at a table. 

 

“so,” donghyuck starts. “you really live here?”

 

“yes, i do,” he answered as someone, who donghyuck assumed was a maid, approached them with two cups of coffee. “thank you.”

 

“if you wanted to have coffee we could’ve just went to the cafe.” donghyuck rolls his eyes. 

 

“you find dates at cafes cliche, remember?” jaemin said before taking a sip of his coffee. 

 

“oh, so  _ you do _ pay attention to me,” donghyuck picks his coffee up, sniffing it, taking a sip afterwards. he sat the cup down before reaching into his jacket pocket and took his pack of cigarettes out. “can i smoke?” 

 

“whatever makes you happy, hyuck.” jaemin answered. donghyuck scowled at him before taking a cigarette out and lighting it. “wait a minute,” jaemin abruptly stood up, heading back into his room. he came back with two notebooks and two pens, he gave a notebook and pen to donghyuck. “there, so you can write stuff about me down instead of trying to memorize it.” jaemin explained before sitting back down. 

 

“gee, where do i start?” donghyuck clicked the pen, folding the notebook to a fresh page. 

“name: na jaemin, age: seventeen, birthday,” donghyuck paused, looking up at jaemin. “when’s your birthday?”

 

“august 13.” 

 

“great thanks,” donghyuck continued to write. 

 

“what else do you wanna know about me?” jaemin crosses his arms.

 

donghyuck takes a drag, he then blows smoke towards jaemin. “i don't know, man,” 

 

jaemin coughs a little, waving the smoke out of his face. he coughs again, a little more violently this time, there were tears in his eyes. 

 

“jaemin, are you okay?” donghyuck puts his cigarette out at lightning speed. he got up and walked over to jaemin, who waved him off, signalling that he’s fine. “here, sit up straight, take deep breaths,” donghyuck rubs circles on jaemin’s back. “wait,” he says before going into jaemin’s room, he picks up the inhaler on his desk that he spotted earlier. he rushes back outside to jaemin and hands him the inhaler. jaemin takes it from him and uses it. “i’m really sorry.” donghyuck crouches next to jaemin. 

 

“it’s okay, you didn't know,” 

 

donghyuck interrupted, “you should have told me, you idiot! what if you died?!” 

 

jaemin closes his eyes, sniffling from the tears that had formed earlier. “i didn't tell you because it’s embarrassing.” jaemin explains. 

 

“i don't care! you should’ve told me!” donghyuck shouted. “i never wanna see you like that ever again, jaemin. i’ll quit smoking, i promise.” tears were threatening to spill from his eyes. has he always been this soft? 

 

“you don't have to stop smoking because of my dumb health condition,”

 

donghyuck stood up, jaemin continued to look at the ground. “it’s not some dumb health condition, jaemin, it’s very serious and you could die.” donghyuck says softly. 

 

“why do you care? don't you want me dead?” jaemin was now looking up at donghyuck. 

 

donghyuck gets flustered by his comment. “what? why are you suddenly being like this?” 

 

“just get out, please.” jaemin pleaded. donghyuck didn't move. “i told you to get out!” 

 

donghyuck jumps, he blinks some tears back before grabbing his things and leaving jaemin’s home. 

  
  


“he kicked you out? why?” mark asked donghyuck as they sat across from each other in the schools library. mark was actively taking notes while donghyuck just stared at his textbook. 

 

“i don't know,” donghyuck said, his didn't move. “but, i’m really upset about it and i don't know why.” he finally looked up at mark, his eyes were red. 

 

“dude, did you smoke?” mark whispered. 

 

“no, you asshole! i couldn’t sleep,” donghyuck sighs. “i need to stop smoking.” 

 

“are you sure you wanna try doing that?” mark asks cautiously. “i'm just asking because,”

 

donghyuck interrupts, “i can do it, mark,” he rolls his eyes before standing up. “i'm leaving.” he starts to walk away.

 

“where are you going?” mark tried, donghyuck only waved. 

 

donghyuck was walking down an empty hallway, lost in thought. he was so lost in thought he didn't realize jaemin was calling his name. when donghyuck turned around, they nearly bumped into each other. they both mumbled apologies before jaemin spoke up, “we need to talk later,” 

 

donghyuck almost interrupted him, “no we don't,” he said before turning on his heel to walk away. 

 

“wait,” jaemin grabbed donghyuck’s arm, forcing him to turn around. “donghyuck, seriously, we need to talk. meet me at the park nearby after school.” jaemin instructs before walking off. 

 

after school, donghyuck walked to the park like jaemin had asked him to do. he sat down on one of the swings as he waited for jaemin to arrive. donghyuck had so much on his mind, he felt like his brain was going to explode into a million pieces. footsteps were heard, donghyuck didn't dare look up, he already knew that it was jaemin. donghyuck continued to stare at the ground as jaemin sat down next to him. 

 

“donghyuck,” jaemin said softly. donghyuck gathered the courage to look up at him. “just listen to me, please,” donghyuck remained silent. jaemin sighed before starting, “i don't know why i acted the way that i did yesterday. it was most likely because i was embarrassed that you saw me in that state, but i'm really glad you were there to help me. i'm really sorry for lashing out on you.” jaemin kicked the sand beneath his feet. there was a brief moment of silence before jaemin spoke up again, “i feel like i should apologize for something else, too,” donghyuck could tell jaemin was being serious, he locked eyes with jaemin. donghyuck could feel his cheeks heating up from how flustered he was. “do you know why i kept hurting you, donghyuck?” donghyuck didn't answer, because, quite frankly, he didn't know the answer. “my intention was to get you to hate me, but, when you told me that after all this time you didn't hate me i was. . . lost. when that plan failed i had to come up with another one. i sort of bribed the teacher into making that final project, i wasn’t sure of what project it was gonna be, i just insisted that the both of us be partners. i was hoping to make you hate me that way, but i was not expecting the complete opposite to happen.” jaemin finishes. 

 

“why were you trying to get me to hate you, jaemin?” donghyuck’s voice was soft. 

 

“because i like you,” jaemin simply answered. “i’ve liked you for a long time, donghyuck. which is why i was trying to hurt you so you wouldn’t like me back.” 

 

“why?” donghyuck wanted more. 

 

“in a perfect world, the two of us could be together without a doubt. but, with the way that things are right now, i just don't think i could do it. not with my dad and i’s reputation on the line. 

 

“who says i feel the same way back, jaemin?” donghyuck challenges. 

 

jaemin looked lost, he  _ was _ lost. he was convinced that donghyuck did like him. “you,” jaemin paused, holding tears back. “don’t?” tears were close to falling. 

 

donghyuck stands up. “i’m leaving.” 

 

“donghyuck,” jaemin reaches out for his hand, but misses. donghyuck walks off. 

  
  


“due to shortened time in the semester, we will not be continuing with the project i assigned. instead, we will just keep learning new content and taking notes until times up.” the teacher announced the next day, everyone sighed in relief. 

 

except for one person. that boy, all the way in the back, remained silent as he spaced out. his thoughts were jumbled, still taking in what jaemin had said the night before. 

 

‘ _ in a perfect world the two of us could be together, without a doubt _ .’ jaemin’s voice swirled around in his head. donghyuck did what he does best; he abruptly stands up and walks away. he ignored the teachers calls for him to come back. he just kept walking, walking, and walking. he leaned up against some lockers, sliding down them, hitting the floor with a small thud. 

 

donghyuck then heard footsteps walking — no, running towards him. he didn’t bother to look up, he already knew who it was. 

 

na fucking jaemin. 

 

the na jaemin who had been bullying him for half of a school year. the na jaemin who had confessed his feelings the night before. the na jaemin whose favorite color is white. the na jaemin who has asthma. the na jaemin who. . . likes donghyuck. 

 

“donghyuck!” jaemin’s voice broke through donghyuck’s thoughts. “donghyuck, answer me!” 

 

donghyuck blinked before looking over at jaemin who was crouched next to him. “na fucking jaemin,” 

 

jaemin was confused. “w-what do you mean?” he stuttered. “what are you talking about?” 

 

“i like you too, na  _ fucking _ jaemin.” donghyuck finally confessed. he had finally figured why it hurt him so much when jaemin lashed out on him. 

 

“donghyuck, you can’t—,” donghyuck interrupted jaemin by wrapping his arms around his neck. 

 

“yes i can. i can and i will.” donghyuck squeezed jaemin tighter. 

 

jaemin started to sob, tears were flooding down his cheeks. “i’m sorry, i’m so sorry. donghyuck, i’m—,” his hiccups interjected. donghyuck just rubbed his back as he cried into his shoulder. jaemin started to cough, donghyuck went straight into panic mode. he sat jaemin up straight, reaching into jaemin’s pocket to pull out his inhaler he saw him stuff in there before class started. donghyuck used his thumbs to wipe jaemin’s tears away as he used his inhaler. donghyuck stroked jaemin’s hair gently. “why do you still like me after i beat you up?” 

 

“well,” donghyuck starts. “first of all, you weren’t the one who did the beatings,” donghyuck smiles. “also, you stepped in before it got too bad, the worst i would get is a busted lip or a bloody nose,” donghyuck smiles wider. “after last night, everything started to make sense. i have everything figured out, jaemin,” he points to jaemin. “mark was right.” he chuckles. 

 

“what? who’s mark?” jaemin’s eyebrows furrowed. 

 

“mark lee? he’s my best friend,” 

 

“ah,” jaemin realized who donghyuck was talking about. “what was he right about?” 

 

‘ _ he could be a different person from the one you portray him as _ .’ donghyuck recited mark’s words. “i had always thought that you were some rich asshole that just hated me for no reason. but now, here you are, sobbing in my arms, telling me about how much you like me.” donghyuck sighed. 

 

“i do. i do like you, donghyuck. i like you a lot. i’m so sorry for being an awful person to you—,” donghyuck cuts jaemin off by quickly kissing his cheek. 

 

“relax,” donghyuck stands up, grabbing jaemin’s hand to hoist him up. “let’s go!” donghyuck turns to walk away. 

 

“where are we going?” jaemin asked. 

 

donghyuck just dragged jaemin behind him. “not sure yet,” he pauses. “you have money for ice cream, right?” he looks back at jaemin, who’s smiling widely. 

 

“yeah, i do,” jaemin nods his head as donghyuck continues to walk. “but,” jaemin starts, donghyuck turns around to face him. “i think ice cream dates are cliche.” 

 

donghyuck scoffs and rolls his eyes. “let’s go, asshole.” jaemin giggles at that. 

**Author's Note:**

> twt: nohyuckcafe
> 
> cc: renhyuckclub


End file.
